Economy During Delhi Sultanate Period

During the Sultanate of Delhi, society was in transition. People were broadly classified as Hindus or Muslims based on their religion. The people were heavily taxed. Agriculture was the primary source of income. The major industries were the manufacture of gold and silver jewellery, embroidery, textiles, and dyeing. The Sultans imposed religious restrictions on Hindu and Shia subjects. During the Sultans’ reign, slavery flourished. Prisoners of war were sold as slaves. Women did not have a high social status. The purdah system and child marriage were both in use. Upper-class women were well-versed in the fine arts.

About Economy During Delhi Sultanate Period

Land revenue was major source of income for administration.
The peasantry paid one third of their produce as land revenue, and sometimes even one half of the produce.
Agriculture formed the occupation of the bulk of the people.
The peasants produced a large variety of food crops, cash crops, fruits, vegetables and spices.
They practiced advanced agricultural techniques such as crop rotation, double cropping, three crop harvesting, fruit grafting etc.
Various types of artificial water lifting devices were also used for this purpose.
The Persian wheel was the most advanced water lifting device of this period.
During the Sultanate period, the process of urbanization gained momentum.
Construction of roads and their maintenance facilitated for smooth transport and communication.
Particularly the royal roads were kept in good shape.
Sarais or rest houses on the highways were maintained for the convenience of the travelers.
Cotton textile and silk industry flourished in this period.
Paper-making technology evolved by the Chinese and learnt by the Arabs was introduced in India during the rule of the Delhi Sultans.
Craft production was organized in villages as well as qasbas.
There also existed imperial these karkhanas were part of the royal establishment.
These units produced commodities for the consumption of the royal household and the court, Generally, expensive and luxury items were produced here.
In the field of commerce India had trade links with contemporary central Asia, China, South-east Asia and Europe etc.

The Delhi Sultanate era marked a period of societal change, with people identified mainly as Hindus and Muslims based on their religious affiliations.
Within the Muslim community, a division existed between the nobility and chiefs. Notably, three classes of nobles—Khans, Maliks, and Amirs—emerged, with Turkish and Persian Muslims dominating. However, Indian Muslims also played a significant role.
Foreign Muslims were favored in positions of power, and the inheritance of noble titles often followed family lines. The respected Ashraf nobles contributed to the establishment of Muslim social stratification.
Nobles enjoyed a life of luxury, both culturally and financially. Over time, warrior nobles transitioned into patrons of culture. Interestingly, political alliances were common between Turkish rulers and Hindu Rajputs.
Judicial functionaries like Qazis and Muftis assisted the nobles, ensuring adherence to Shariah law. Mehtasib monitored Muslims’ compliance with these laws, and these positions were remunerated.
The society had a significant slave population, and administrative roles were fulfilled by clerks and petty officers.
Hindu society experienced little change, but during the Delhi Sultanate, the Purdah system became prevalent. While upper-class women were secluded, those in lower classes had more freedom.
Cultural customs like sati and the prohibition on widow remarriage were established, though widows had the advantage of inheriting their husbands’ property.
Economic disparities and ethnic divisions characterized Muslim society. Marriages between Turks, Iranians, Afghans, and Indian Muslims were uncommon, and converts from Hinduism were given lower status.
Hindus controlled local administration, and both Hindu and Muslim communities overlapped. Despite this, disparities in social and cultural beliefs led to tension, hindering mutual understanding and cultural adjustments.

Conclusion

Back in the days of the Delhi Sultanate, we don’t have a ton of juicy details about how regular folks were doing financially. The history buffs of that time were more into spilling the tea about court dramas than dishing out the deets on everyday life. But fear not, because Ibn Battutah, this cool cat from North Africa, swung by in the 14th century and set up camp at Muhammad Tughlaq’s court for a solid eight years. He basically went on a massive road trip around India, and his diary is like the ultimate travelogue. Picture this: he spills about all the cool stuff in the country – fruits, flowers, herbs, you name it. He even rates the roads and gives you the lowdown on how regular folks were kicking it. Talk about a travel influencer ahead of his time!

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